As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 [John 15:9-12]

By now you may have heard – I am retiring. As announced, I have, after almost 38 years, decided to retire. My last Sunday will be February 19 and I will hand over the reins to our interim, Fr. Carl Buxo. However, before I go, I have a lot to say.

First, thank you! My family and I owe much to the SJD community. You took a chance on us, bringing us clear across the country when you had closer choices. We love our home which, without the parish’s help, we would not have been able to afford. That investment has paid dividends for both, and we are blessed. More importantly, are the prayers, friendships, and support you have shown me and my family through the years.

Second, I’m sorry! These last eight years have been wonderful for us and, I think, for SJD. However, I have been your rector for most of a decade and have no doubt, looking back, made mistakes over that time. Where you have been brave enough to challenge me, I think I have accepted responsibility and asked forgiveness. If confronting your priest has been too scary for you, rest assured that I know I am far from perfect and that it is never too late to seek reconciliation. As for me, I will only remember that this has been the “best of times.”

Finally, I love you! It has always been my goal as a priest to exemplify the passage above. I want others to feel the love of God as I have enjoyed it; help people experience the full joy of Christ’s love in their lives. To the extent I have been successful, Praise God! It is by the power of His Spirit that I am able to teach, preach and pastor. As I look forward to retirement and the next chapter of life, I know that many of you understand and have been through such a transition. Please keep me in your prayers and know that you all will be forever in mine.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus,

Fr. Kevin+

II Timothy 1:11

From the Associate Rector

Guards at the jail in the mountain town of Alamos, make mistakes; we all do. But they know there is one mistake they must not make – the mistake of letting a prisoner escape. For if they do, they are subjected to a most unusual punishment. If the prisoner escapes, the guard on duty has to serve out the escapee’s term. The guard’s responsibilities  become more than just his job; they become a vital part of his entire existence.

Fortunately, few of us are subjected to such harsh punishment for our mistakes. The consequences of our mistakes can be harsh or they can be quite beneficial. Mistakes can have a strengthening quality when they are used to reinforce our otherwise awkward approaches. No one really grows without making mistakes, but if that person views those mistakes as regrets, they can be used to tell “what went wrong” and then determine not to make those mistakes again. 

Mistakes are destructive to us for three reasons:

1. The price we pay is much too expensive because we fail to profit from prior mistakes.
2. We suffer not from the direct consequences of the mistake but from an indirect hurt of our ego from having made it.
3. We make mistakes deliberately with some sort of fanciful intention of cleaning the slate later. 

It is important to understand the nature of mistake making. A mistake may be viewed as a blunder, oversight, carelessness but not necessary as a regret. It is only when the mistake is viewed as a regret that we begin to learn from it.

Regrets. We’ve had a few. And not too few to mention. A little prayer and determination can make this a good year after all

Father Lee

Fr. Kevin Warner's Retirement Party

Come celebrate Fr. Kevin’s ministry on February 25th at 5:30 PM in the Parish Hall with dinner featuring: Southern Fried Chicken with all the Fixins’, Soft Drinks, Wine, Coffee, & Desserts.

Reservations are required and can be made in person in the Banner Building during office hours or the Parish Hall on Sundays. You may also call the office at 813-633-3970. Deadline is Sunday, February 19th.

From Your Health Ministry

We will resume doing blood pressures in the parish hall after the 10 AM service on the last Sunday of each month.

Fr. Kevin's Retirement Gift

SJD invites parishioners to donate to Fr. Kevin’s Retirement Fund (gifts are tax deductible)

There are two ways to contribute:

1. You may donate online at stjohndivine.com/direct-giving and select Fr. Kevin Retirement Fund under the Fund dropdown menu (See Below)
2. With a check payable to St. John Divine or offering envelop with a note on the envelope or memo line “Fr. Kevin Retirement”. These can be dropped off in the offering plate, dropped off at the banner building, or mailed to: St. John Divine, 1015 E. Del Webb Blvd, Sun City Center, FL 33573.

Only Believe

There are many famous people whose first and last names consisted of two first names. John Wayne comes immediately to mind. But there was also a poor illiterate English plumber That also became famous. He had two last names: Smith Wigglesworth. 

So, how did a poor illiterate plumber with two last names become famous? This is a story of hope, inspiration and faith with some surprising twists.

In the late nineteenth century, Smith married a young woman named Polly, who taught him to read by reading the Bible. It has been said that the Bible was the only book Wigglesworth ever read, and he carried it everywhere he went. He said he would give a five-pound note, a considerable sum in his day, to anyone who caught him without his Bible.

Wigglesworth was a simple man. He read the Bible, believed it, and acted on that belief. He became known worldwide as the Apostle of Faith. He influenced the lives of thousands around the world by healing them, leading them to faith in Jesus Christ, and even raising the dead in the name of Jesus. 

When he prayed for the healing of a person who stood before him, if he saw that healing was not happening, he would say, “Only believe.” Smith felt that unbelief, an absence of faith, was the condition that existed when someone did not receive their healing. Here is an example in Wigglesworth’s own words:



“A woman came and asked, ’Is it possible for God to heal my ears?’ The eardrums had been removed. I said, ‘Only believe.’ She went down into the audience in great distress. Others were healed, but she could not hear. The next night she came again. She said, ‘I am going to believe tonight.’ The glory fell. [Her hearing was restored]. The first time she came feeling; the second time she came believing.”

Many of these same miracles are bursting forth in our day and time. Brenda and I prayed for a 24 year old woman who had been born deaf in her left ear. Her inner ear was missing. She had a fully formed outer ear which held several piercings, but when we looked into that ear there was no hole for the sound to enter, only skin. While we prayed, she said she could feel heat and pressure inside her head in the vicinity of her ear. Afterward, this left ear was tested to hear clearly. God did a creative miracle for her by forming a new inner ear. We were in a church meeting where testimonies of healing were being told all around us. That young woman came with faith that God would touch her that night.

Please let me encourage you to read your Bible, find in it the promises of God, and “only believe.”

I love you in Jesus’ name,

Howard Roshaven

Senior Warden

Junior Warden's Report

Hello Everyone,

Work continues around the church with different projects popping up all the time. They are taken one at a time and if you see something please fill out the request sheet (found in the office) so they can be handled in an expedient manner. More in the annual report.

Good news is we have the final approval from the county for the healing center and will now be moving forward with the rest of the construction. Should be done soon and this well needed ministry will become a reality.

Blessings

Steve Van Loan

Jr. Warden

LET US MARCH ON!

As I stared writing this article, I realized that it was the day (January 15th)  our church commemorates the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Also, in a matter of a month, (February 13th)  churches and organizations around the country will be commemorating the life and witness of the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first person of Black heritage ordained a priest in the Episcopal church.

These two dates hold great significance for me as it is on these dates our church sought it fit to recognize the contributions made by these two individuals. They both resisted the dark forces they were confronted by during their time on earth.   For most of us, Martin Luther King Jr. has become a household name. However, the name Absalom Jones is not so familiar. The Rev. Jones though born into slavery was able to buy his way out of slavery and begun worshipping at the St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. At St. George’s, Rev. Jones and the other lay leader Richard Allen with their active evangelism greatly increased the church membership. This increase in membership caused some consternation and resentment with the other members, who then sought to segregate the church.

The event that changed him and possibly the Episcopal Church was when one Sunday morning,  he and the other Black Sunday school teacher Richard Allen were tapped on their shoulders by the ushers and ordered to leave the Sanctuary, and retire to the upstairs gallery. Absalom together with Richard Allen and the entire Black congregation walked out of the church in disgust.

Absalom and Richard then formed the African church of Philadelphia. Later after a denominational vote, they decided to affiliate with the Episcopal Church. Richard Allen favored affiliation with the Methodist Church, so he formed the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Years later, Bishop White ordained Absalom Jones a priest, thus becoming the first priest of African heritage in the Episcopal church.

So, in the next twenty plus days, as we prepare to celebrate the feast day of Absalom Jones,  let us continue to march on ‘till victory is won.      

In God’s Grace and Peace,

Aubrey V. Thompson

Head Verger

Ramblings of an Over-Caffeinated, Sleep Deprived, Child Rearing, Millennial:

Going Forward

Hello everyone! With the announcement of Fr. Kevin’s retirement, I wanted to go ahead and say that I have no plans to leave SJD. My employment at SJD began as an interim for Media Specialist while the church searched for a full-time replacement. Due to my work as interim, my experience, and education in technology, and my familiarity with Episcopal liturgy; then Sr. Warden Don Fisher pushed for my hire as the full-time Media & Tech Specialist. I will continue giving my best to SJD as an employee, and volunteer with the SJD’s Praise Band. I wish my father the best in his retirement, and my children look forward to spending time with their new babysitter. 

Thank you all for your support,

Tristan M. Warner

Media & Tech Specialist 

Sponsoring Flowers

Sponsoring flowers for Sunday is a wonderful way to celebrate, honor, or remember a special person or an event, such as a birthday, anniversary, or achievement. Only $30 is the recommended donation for such an occasion. There is also opportunity to contribute to the purchase lilies for Easter.

Flowers used on Sunday are subsequently arranged in smaller bouquets, which are taken to people in hospitals or to those who are homebound. Although many recipients thoughtfully return vases to be used again, there is currently a shortage. The Flower Guild needs quart and pint size vases; however, they do not need bud vases. Anyone having some to donate, may bring them to church and leave them on the counter under the large bulletin board in the parish hall. They will be much appreciated.

The Flower Guild is looking for a few adventurous men and women, with talent they may not know they have, to arrange flowers for God's house. No experience is required. Guided training is provided. Anyone wishing to discover your hidden talent may email yoniece@yahoo.com or call/text at 941-545-8132.

Grief Support February 2023

The Pet Lover's Code

It really is OK to grieve the death of your pet. You loved your pet and your pet loved you. The relationship was probably strong and lasting. You need to grieve this death, and you need to mourn this death by expressing your grief outside of yourself.

It is OK to have a variety of emotions. Confusion, anger, sadness, emptiness, and other feelings are normal. It is a good thing to talk about your grief. Seek out others who have had this experience and will allow you to talk about it.

Be aware of your physical, mental, and emotional needs. Pay attention to what your body is telling you.

Embrace your own spirituality. Don’t let others talk of dog heaven or cat heaven or that heaven’s not for animals. Engage your own church, pray, spend time in nature; anything to help understand and reconcile your loss.

Treasure your memories as you move towards healing. Be patient and tolerant of yourself, and avoid those who are inpatient with you. The loss of a pet is a life changing occurrence and you need to take the time and use your energy to cope with the change.

The Grief Support Group at Saint John Divine offers more than just discussions for those who have lost someone. Grief is a natural process. It isn't a disorder or an illness. You may be grieving about anything you've lost, whether it's a loved one or a job or something that had meaning for you.



We meet every month on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays at 10:00 AM in the Wirick Room in the Banner building. When you feel the need, we can be there for you.

Triple T Thoughts: TIME

In 1967 a group named THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS had a hit song TIME HAS COME TODAY. Some of the lyrics are “Now the time has come, there are things to realize, time has come today, time has come today.”

In 1969 the group CHICAGO wrote and sang DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? With lyrics; “Does anybody really know what time it is, does anybody really care?”

In 1998 a group SEMISONIC penned CLOSING TIME. One lyric announced: “Closing time, open all the doors and let you out into the world.”

As part of the Triple T Ministry, we know you have talent. We want your time. Saint John Divine has a wealth of different, exciting, and rewarding activities for you to be involved in. With groups that work both in and out of the building we have programs that need your abilities to make them work. Choir, Altar Guild, Welcoming, Kitchen, fellowship, Bible study, Foyer groups, the list goes on and on. And we need you.

The time has come today, there are things to realize…...get involved! Participate!

Does anybody know what time it is? Does anybody really care? SJD knows, SJD cares, Get involved! Participate!

Open all the doors and let you out into world within or outside the walls we have stuff you can do and be good at. Get involved! Participate!

Your Triple T team

MAKE DAILY MORNING PRAYER PART OF YOUR LENTEN DISIPLINE

Join us Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. for in-person worship at SJD.

SJD offers Daily Morning Prayer every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, a Healing Service with Eucharist is offered.

Morning Prayer is a beautiful service of praise, prayer, and readings of Scripture. When you pray Morning Prayer, you are sure to enrich your spiritual life and your journey with Christ.

The Lord's Lighthouse

On Palm Sunday, 2008, in association with St. John the Divine, The Lord's Lighthouse was established to serve the less fortunate of our South Shore area. The Mission, originally operating from the Annex Building on St. John the Divine's Ruskin Campus, has now moved to a permanent location in Wimauma. The Nuevo Pacto (New Pact) Church of God has allowed The Lord's Lighthouse to operate rent free from a lot next to and owned by the New Pact Church of God.

Despite many challenges, the Mission continues to obey Jesus' command to "Feed my sheep." The Mission provides food, clothing, essential needs, and services to those without enough means to care for their families. 

Will you help? The priority needs are non- perishable food and money to purchase food.

You may bring donations of food to The Lord's Lighthouse area in the parish hall. Checks may be made payable to St. John Divine, earmarked The Lord's Lighthouse. Any donations, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated.

We invite you to take a look at The Lord's Lighthouse table in the parish hall for more information about the good works The Lord's Lighthouse Mission has done and hopes, with God's help and with the help of others, to continue to do.



Thanks for helping!

ASTON GARDENS SERVICES

As we, in our second year, at the 6pm service at Aston Gardens, the Courtyard, continue with a full Eucharist each Sunday, the attendance is growing. I have wonderful assistance in setting up for the service and great participation in the readings and in the serving of Communion. Justin Hill, master of the keyboard, thrills us at the piano, Jean Brown lends her beautiful voice for solos and Alyson Barrett masterfully leads our music. Our fellowship crew, led by Linda Waring, always has plenty of snacks to serve as we gather around the tables at the end of the services to share our weekly experiences with each other.

If you wish to give online, please scan or click the QR Code